Kinetic Measurement of Acrylic Acid Polymerization at High Concentrations under Nearly Isothermal Conditions in a Pendula Slug Flow Reactor

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide This work discusses a new measurement concept that uses contactless Raman spectrometry of free radical polymerization (FRP) in a milliscale reactor. The setup is based on a multiphase system with unsteady operation due to a change in the flow direction. The objective is to develop a quasi-isothermal measurement method for the determination of reaction kinetics with high automation capability. The FRP of acrylic acid with 2,2′-azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride as the initiator serves as the model reaction. The reaction order for the initiator and monomer concentrations as well as the temperature dependence is determined. On the basis of the measured rates, an estimation of the thermal behavior of the reactor can be made. The pendular slug reactor is an extension of the known measurement methods for FRP and requires only a few grams of material.